REGULATORY WATCH

Privacy, AI governance and data protection developments across the US and the EU, from regulators, legislatures and courts.

⚖️ Latest developments 🌐 Jurisdictions 📚 Law library
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Topic: consent · clear
110 developments
Moderate Proposed regulation Proposed European Union · Sep 10, 2026
EU Commission proposes Article 88b for automated privacy signals in Digital Omnibus
The European Commission, as part of the Digital Omnibus package, proposed legally binding automated privacy signals under Article 88b of the GDPR to replace cookie banners. The proposal would let users set their privacy preferences once…
European Commission · California Delete Act
Moderate Enforcement Decided Ireland · Sep 7, 2026
Irish DPC welcomes court conviction of Brown Thomas for ePrivacy breaches
The Dublin Metropolitan District Court convicted Brown Thomas Arnotts Limited on 7 September 2026 for multiple breaches of Regulation 13 of the ePrivacy Regulations. The company pleaded guilty to five sample charges, including failures to…
Data Protection Commission · ePrivacy Directive
Moderate Settlement Announced United States (federal) · Sep 1, 2026
Meta to implement age‑verification framework under $17 B settlement with 52 U.S. states
Meta has agreed to a $17 billion settlement with 52 state attorneys general that mandates age‑assurance technology for its platforms. The settlement requires Meta to apply age‑verification methods within one year, classify users into 18+…
state attorneys general · Children's Online Privacy Protection Act
Moderate Guidance Published United States (federal) · Aug 31, 2026
EFF guide on doxxing incident response and digital footprint protection
The Electronic Frontier Foundation published a guide outlining steps for individuals and groups to respond to doxxing attacks. It covers incident logging, team role assignment, monitoring hate forums, setting up alerts, hardening accounts…
California Delete Act
Moderate New law In effect United States (federal) · Aug 31, 2026
Five US states enact location privacy laws banning sale of precise geolocation data
Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey, Oregon, and Virginia have enacted new consumer privacy statutes that prohibit the sale of precise geolocation data. The laws vary in their consent and minimization requirements, but all share a ban on…
MD AG · Maryland Online Data Privacy Act
Moderate Settlement Settled Connecticut · Aug 27, 2026
Connecticut AG settles with TaxAct over taxpayer data disclosures via tracking tech
On August 19, 2026, Connecticut Attorney General William Tong announced a $275,000 settlement with TaxAct for improperly disclosing taxpayer information to advertising partners through third‑party tracking technologies. The settlement…
Connecticut Attorney General
Moderate Interpretation Published Belgium · Jul 14, 2026 · effective May 28, 2026
EDPB orders Belgian DPA to assess NOYB cookie banner complaint on merits
The European Data Protection Board issued a binding decision on 28 May 2026 requiring the Belgian DPA to evaluate a NOYB complaint about VRT's cookie banners on the merits rather than dismiss it on procedural grounds. The decision found no…
European Data Protection Board · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate Proposed regulation Proposed European Union · Jun 23, 2026
EU Council scrapes Article 88b proposal to replace cookie banners with automated signal
The European Commission proposed adding Article 88b to the GDPR to replace cookie banners with an automated consent signal. On 18 June, the Council’s position paper removed the article, keeping the existing cookie banner regime. The change…
European Commission · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate Fine In effect France · Mar 13, 2026
French court upholds €40M GDPR fine against Criteo
The French Data Protection Authority (CNIL) fined Criteo €40 million for GDPR violations, including lack of valid consent, transparency, and failures to honor erasure and access rights. In March 2026, the Conseil d’État rejected Criteo’s…
CNIL · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate Proposed regulation Published European Union · Mar 5, 2026
EU Commission's Digital Omnibus proposal to limit GDPR Right of Access faces criticism from DPOs
The European Commission has published a Digital Omnibus proposal that would narrow the definition of personal data, restrict the Right of Access and allow broader AI training. A survey by noyb shows data protection officers consider the…
European Commission · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate Proposed regulation Proposed European Union · Feb 24, 2026
EU Commission proposes Digital Omnibus to amend GDPR and ePrivacy Directive
The European Commission published its Digital Omnibus proposal on 19 November 2025, aiming to amend the GDPR and the ePrivacy Directive. noyb’s analysis warns that the proposed changes could conflict with the EU Charter of Fundamental…
European Commission · ePrivacy Directive
Moderate Lawsuit filed Filed European Union · Jan 28, 2026
noyb debunks 5 GDPR misconceptions on Data Protection Day
The article clarifies that the GDPR does not mandate cookie banners, that DPAs rarely impose fines, and that companies must obtain explicit consent for tracking. It also explains the limited scope of the right of access and counters claims…
EDPB · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate Data protection authority action Decided Austria · Jan 27, 2026
Austrian DSB orders Microsoft to stop tracking school children with cookies
The Austrian Data Protection Authority ruled that Microsoft illegally installed tracking cookies on a pupil's device without consent. The authority ordered Microsoft to cease the use of those cookies within four weeks. The decision follows…
Austrian Data Protection Authority (DSB) · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate Court ruling Decided Austria · Dec 18, 2025 · deadline Dec 31, 2025
Austrian Supreme Court orders Meta to give users full data access within 14 days
The Austrian Supreme Court ruled that Meta must provide a complete copy of all personal data to any user request within 14 days, including source, recipient and purpose information. The court also required Meta to obtain explicit opt‑in…
EDPB · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate Fine In effect France · Nov 27, 2025
CNIL fines Conde Nast €750,000 for cookie consent violations
The French data protection authority CNIL fined Conde Nast €750,000 for placing cookies on its Vanity Fair website without obtaining valid user consent. The authority also found the publisher failed to adequately inform users about the…
CNIL
Moderate Proposed regulation Proposed European Union · Nov 11, 2025
Open letter warns EU Commission's Digital Omnibus draft could deregulate GDPR
Noyb, EDRi and the Irish Council for Civil Liberties sent an open letter to the European Commission criticizing a draft Digital Omnibus that would amend core GDPR provisions. The draft proposes redefining personal data, weakening data…
European Commission · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate Data protection authority action Decided Austria · Oct 9, 2025
Austrian DSB rules Microsoft 365 Education illegally tracks students and orders data deletion
The Austrian Data Protection Authority found Microsoft 365 Education used tracking cookies without consent and denied a data‑access request, violating GDPR. The DSB ordered Microsoft to delete the data, provide full access, and disclose…
Austrian Data Protection Authority (DSB) · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate Data protection authority action Published Austria · Sep 26, 2025
Austrian DSB bans KSV1870 from automated credit checks without consent
The Austrian Data Protection Authority ruled that KSV1870's fully automated credit rating was unlawful and prohibited the agency from conducting such checks without the data subject's consent. The authority also ordered KSV1870 to provide…
Austrian Data Protection Authority (DSB) · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate Data protection authority action Announced Ireland · Sep 18, 2025
Former Meta lobbyist Niamh Sweeney appointed Irish DPC commissioner
Niamh Sweeney, a former senior Meta lobbyist, is set to join the Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) as a commissioner in October. The DPC is the EU lead privacy regulator for major US tech firms. The appointment raises concerns about…
Irish Data Protection Commission · General Data Protection Regulation
Moderate Fine In effect France · Sep 4, 2025
CNIL fines Google €325 million for unsolicited Gmail advertising
The French data protection authority CNIL has issued a decision siding with privacy NGO noyb and fined Google €325 million for sending unsolicited advertising emails to Gmail users without consent. The authority also ordered Google to stop…
CNIL · ePrivacy Directive
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Coming up
Oct 2026
19
FCC proposes to modify system of records for National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program
United States (federal) · effective
Oct 2026
19
FCC modifies Lifeline Program system of records (FCC/WCB-1) under the Privacy Act
United States (federal) · effective
Oct 2026
26
Peace Corps announces new CRM system of records (PC 38) effective Oct 26, 2026
United States (federal) · effective
Oct 2026
28
HHS modifies ORR Unaccompanied Children system of records, effective Oct 28, 2026
United States (federal) · effective
Oct 2026
29
Italian Garante's tracking-pixel guidelines become effective Oct 29, 2026
Italy · effective
Oct 2026
29
Italian Garante's tracking-pixel guidelines become effective Oct 29, 2026
Italy · compliance deadline
Nov 2026
2
DOI establishes new matching program under Privacy Act of 1974
United States (federal) · effective
Nov 2026
5
Treasury exempts new tip intake records from certain Privacy Act provisions
United States (federal) · effective
Nov 2026
6
Treasury proposes new system of records for federal student aid data
United States (federal) · effective
Nov 2026
16
NARA proposes revisions to System of Records NARA 44 for reasonable accommodation requests
United States (federal) · effective
Nov 2026
24
Farm Credit Administration amends employee payroll system of records under Privacy Act, effective Nov 24, 2026
United States (federal) · effective
Dec 2026
20
AEPD launches call for articles for third issue of Revista PIT on GDPR and emerging regulations
Spain · compliance deadline
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privacy · 113security · 67ai governance · 53transparency · 34data minimization · 31children · 28profiling · 27automated decision making · 26consent · 21targeted advertising · 19access · 17data governance · 16